Seed Thoughts

// Lynette Hagin

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a
sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be Like
a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."
-Isaiah 58:11 (NIV 1984)

In our world, there is turmoil everywhere we turn. There are wars, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and every other type of calamity around us. Violent crimes seem to be everyday occurrences.

We are living in an age when man has made more discoveries than ever before. We have more conveniences and luxuries than previous generations. Yet many are experiencing a life of turmoil instead of peace.

John 14:27 tells us, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (NKJV). These words which Jesus spoke to His disciples to prepare them for His departure from this earth still apply to us today.

We do not have to live in turmoil. We can experience the peace of God in our lives each day. Of course, there is no peace without knowing the Prince of Peace. In order to experience peace in our lives, we must first accept Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (NKJV). We would have no peace had Jesus not made the supreme sacrifice for our peace. There was a price to be paid for peace. Jesus bore our sin and He offers us His righteousness. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (NKJV).

God loved us so much that He was willing to send His only Son to redeem us. You may have accepted Christ as your Savior, but are you relying on Him to give you peace in life? Many people consistently rely on antidepressants to give them peace. Antidepressants may give you temporary peace—but God is able to give you continual peace.

How can you receive that peace? Isaiah 26:3–4 says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." I like the Amplified version of these verses: "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages]."

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary gives one definition of peace as "freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions." The Hebrew word shalom is translated "peace" in the verses above. Shalom includes the ideas of soundness and health—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. God has offered us this kind of peace if we will keep our minds stayed on Him.

We need to surround ourselves continually with the Word of God. Serving God should be a way of life for us—not just a Sunday experience. When we accept Christ as our Savior, there should be a change in our lifestyle. There should be a change in the way we talk. There should be a change in what we watch and in what we do. Sometimes I think that some people have mechanically confessed Christ as their Lord, but it was merely mental assent—not a life-changing experience.

Matthew 7:17–20 (NLT) says, "A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions."

In order for us to bear the fruit that God desires, we must stay close to Him. How do we do that? We must constantly surround ourselves with a godly environment. I surround myself with Christian music all the time. It plays continually in my home. I play it when I'm in the car and at work. This puts me in an atmosphere to meditate on the Lord continually. It keeps my mind on His love, strength, and peace.

If you want to live a peaceful life, you must meditate in the Word of God. Dwell on God's promises. Quit thinking about how big your problem is and start dwelling on how big your God is. Trust God unconditionally and you will experience His peace.